1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to sensor networks, more particularly, to an apparatus, method and computer program storage device for forming one or more context zones within a spatial-bounded region based upon spatial information in a sensor network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Large numbers of computerized sensor and actuator devices are increasingly being deployed and networked, both wired or wirelessly connected to one another to form so-called sensor networks. In a sensor network, sensor device are typically deployed to monitor such events as temperature, pressure and acidity levels in a industrial/business or consumer process while actuators are deployed to control the process such as values, heaters, and coolers. Moreover, sensor and actuators are network connecting one or more sensors with one or more actuators to provide an infrastructure resulting in smart environmental solutions in such diverse applications as industrial automation, asset management and smart offices/living spaces. For example, in a conventional industrial, or a conventional business application, a sensor network might include hundreds of individual sensor and actuator devices where each device may be relatively simplistic, playing a relatively narrow role in the overall sensor network.
Management of sensor networks which include a large number of sensor and actuator devices in conventional industrial/business application typically involves controlling each device at a per-device level or by grouping sensors and actuator devices into heterogeneous sets of devices based upon their respective functions. As the numbers of sensor and actuator devices increase into the hundreds or thousands it becomes increasingly difficult to effectively mange each sensor and actuator device at a per-device or per-function level in a sensor network.
Having set forth the limitations of the prior art, it is clear that what is required is a method, system or computer program storage device capable of managing sensors and actuator devices in a sensor network to enable administrators of sensor networks to form logical abstraction layering of sensor and actuator devices to employ new device management functionality and to allow the development of further high level business solutions in smart environments.